The SoulReaver
by TheJaggid
Summary: Chaud and Protoman set out to delete Megaman after he attempts to steal the mysterious SoulReaver program. His motives are unknown, but can they be worth deletion?
1. The Beginning

SoulReaver

UnderNet Square  
Megaman painfully lifted himself off the ground. Protoman stood in front of him, looking at him, knowing what had to come next.  
"Protoman… you…" started Megaman.  
"I'm sorry, Megaman…" Protoman dashed forward and swung his mighty sword at Megaman one final time.

SciLab Area 51 (a few hours earlier)  
An explosion. Through the darkness of the area, a wall could be seen bursting open as a mysterious Navi came rushing through. After another dozen broken walls, it came to a halt in front of a gloomy object on top of a small pillar. The object gave a dark glow, changing from blood red, to petal pink, to red-trimmed black every second. The culprit reached for the object but his hand was forced to a halt as a bubble-like barrier became visible around the top of the pillar. The alarm sounded and the area was filled with constant red flashes, on and off, on and off.  
"Dammit, I was careless…" said the Navi.  
"Really, shouldn't it have sounded off after you broke through the first few walls?" aimlessly asked Chaud. His Navi, Protoman, appeared at the opposite side of the pillar.  
"You really think you could steal the SoulReaver program so easily?" asked Protoman, his black visor flashing from black to red, black to red every other second. It was who Megaman looked into that visor, and watched as the red light flashed past the visor from left to right again and again like passing trees.  
"Megaman?" shouted Chaud as he looked down into his PET. Megaman looked down as if in disappointment while another flash passed by. Through this gesture, Protoman assumed Megaman was ready to give in justly and without a fight. But as the next flash passed by, Megaman was gone.  
"Damn! Protoman, go after him!" ordered Chaud.  
"He's disappeared…" said Protoman weakly.  
"Well go after him!"  
"There's no left-over data, he just disappeared."  
"…Jack-out, we're going to Lan's house."

ACDC Town  
Chaud was running towards the street leading to Lan's house, when he finally reached the corner.  
"Lan….!" Lan's house was burning in the smokeless night, sticking out perfectly like a candle in a dark room, almost with a factor of beauty to it.  
"He… Lan…" started Chaud, but his stumbling words were interrupted by Protoman's voice.  
"Chaud, it's an e-mail from Megaman," said Protoman, as if nothing strange was happening.  
"Megaman…? What does it say?" asked Chaud.  
"It says 'UnderNet 5, alone.'"  
"Right… lets go!" said Chaud, not even once thinking about the complete absense of firefighters at the scene. There was no flickering to the flames burning away into the night. In this house, the Hikaris died silently.

UnderNet 5  
"Do you see him Protoman?" asked Chaud.  
"No, there isn't anybody anywhere..!" responded Protoman.  
"Weird, the UnderNet's never empty this late at night… keep your senses sharp, something's obviously not right." A figure moved above Protoman.  
"You took too long… Protoman."  
"Where are you, Megaman? What happened to Lan? Why…?"  
"Chaud, I still don't see him!" quickly said Protoman, getting nervous.  
"…." Megaman kept quiet.  
"You're going to pay!" said Chaud.  
"It's time to pay!" said Protoman in sequence.  
"I….." started Megaman.

_Netbattle- Protoman.EXE vs. Megaman.EXE_  
Megaman fell from above Protoman with a HeroSword at hand. Protoman could hear the air above him spread around and quickly used his saber to block Megaman's attack. Megaman's blade hit Protoman's and Megaman landed on the flat side of Protoman's sword, flipping off of it not even a moment later to land a few feet in front of Protoman. Protoman darted ahead and swung at Megaman's face. Megaman ducked and sliced at Protoman's stomach. Protoman grabbed at his pierced stomach and Megaman uppercut him back into his original position, right back to where the battle started. Megaman then began stepping back slowly.  
"I didn't do it… Lan is…" he said and then teleported away. The PET rang.  
"Chaud, Megaman's been spotted on the UnderNet Square, since Protoman is the only one that can match up to him, it's your job to exterminate him. Beware though, he carries a HeroSword that appears to be stolen," said an Officer Official.  
"Yeah… yeah, I know, I'm on it. Protoman, head to UnderNet Square immediately!"

UnderNet Square  
Protoman reached UnderNet Square to be greeted by decapitated Navis scattered around the floor, walls and even ceiling. At the other side of the entrance was Megaman, as if all of the bodies were a bunch of signs leading Protoman to his destination. He was staring at the statue that first appeared in MMBN3, and then turned around to look at Protoman with clouded eyes; depressed, no doubt.  
"Protoman… I'm sorry," He ran down the stairs towards Protoman. Protoman then dashed forward and uppercut Megaman with his saber into the air. He then jumped up after him and continuously slashed him over and over again in midair. When he was done, he kicked Megaman down and a cloud of smoke and dust shot up from where he landed. Megaman then slowly got up.  
"I'm sorry, Megaman," Protoman said.  
"…Yeah," said Megaman and he took another look at the statue, as if expecting something. Protoman then dashed forward again to un-shoulder Megaman's head from his already dead body.  
_-Megaman.EXE Deleted-_

"Hahahahaa!" laughed a voice.  
"Who's there?" said Chaud timidly.  
"Come into the statue to see the world's fate, Chaud and Protoman!"  
"Protoman, go!" yelled Chaud. Protoman then sliced a vertical hole at the statue to open a hidden portal and jumped through.

To be Continued...


	2. The End

SciLab Area 51  
Back in SciLab Area 51, there, Bass stood next to the SoulReaver Program.  
"Bass? Then Megaman was actually working for _you_?" said Protoman in shock.  
"…You could say that." A large, dark figure appeared behind Bass and bestowed its shadow upon him. "You could also say that I controlled his every move, from when he tried to steal this program to when he burned down Lan Hikari's house, along with both of his parents…" The cybernet beast Gospel jumped over Bass, crushed the floor underneath it as it landed. Protoman had to jump back to avoid from getting instantly destroyed, and Bass then began hovering over Gospel's head.  
"I made him from giving Copyman my GS code. In case you never noticed, I met him inside of Alpha after Alpha swallowed me, and there I awaited recovery through the bugs in the Secret Area where Serenade resides. Let's see how well you really fare against the same opponent Megaman faced!" With that, Bass hovered back next to the SoulReaver. Protoman began running towards him but Gospel crushed his heavy paw in front of Protoman to stop him from getting any closer.  
"BASS!" yelled out Chaud.

_Netbattle- Protoman.EXE vs. Copyman.EXE (Gospel Code)  
_Protoman jumped up and tried to slash Gospel through the throat, but Gospel quickly caught the blade with its teeth and swung Protoman over into a wall, leaving a small crater.  
"Agh! Damn dog!" shouted Protoman.  
"Concentrate, Protoman!" shouted back Chaud.  
Protoman then jumped out of his crater and sent a SonicWave at Gospel and it deflected off of his guarded nozzle.  
"This is worthless! Protoman, we'll just have to damage someplace other than his head!" said Chaud.  
"Understood!" said Protoman, and he began running swiftly towards Gospel. Gospel then began sucking in air to do one of his Elemental Breath attacks. This, of course, just made Protoman's dash even faster and before Gospel could spit fire, Protoman was already under him.  
"Time to nuder this dog!" said Protoman.  
"Nuder?" asked Chaud. Protoman then jumped up and sent a flurry of slashes at Gospel's stomach, legs and just about everything under him. A few seconds later and after a mighty roar from Gospel, Protoman had slashed through the dog out through to its back. Gospel roared out in agony and Protoman dropped down towards its open jaw. But before he could do anything, Gospel - still with a gigantic hole in its stomach and back, mind you - swung its paw at the speed of light and pinned Protoman into a wall.  
"...Looks like this might be it...!" said Protoman as Gospel began trying to reach his blood/data-thirsty jaw to his foot and devour Protoman.  
"Your kidding me right?" said Chaud, "Invisible, IN!" Gospel's paw then crushed into the wall where Protoman used to be.  
"A fitting death..." said Bass in disappointment. Unnoticed, Protoman dashed under Gospel's head and patiently waited.  
"Hmm?" quietly thought Bass, and Protoman materialized back into view. Gospel looked down to find its food conveniently under him and Protoman jumped up. Meaning to satisfy its hunger, Gospel opened its mouth to get a bite, but Protoman easily drew out a HeroSword and sliced right through Gospel's jaw, slicing its head in half.  
"NNOOooooooo!" cried out Copyman through a text message scrolling across the area, and Gospel began exploding.  
_-Copyman.EXE (Gospel Code) DELETED-_

"…You didn't do so bad, considering your reckless fighting style…" said Bass, about as good as a complement from him gets.  
"Bass! It's your turn!" yelled out Chaud, and Protoman dashed towards Bass with his HeroSword pointed in front of him. Bass made an AirBurst and threw it at the tip of Protoman's sword. The AirBurst exploded and threw Protoman backwards.  
"Do you know why I want the SoulReaver so much, Chaud?" asked Bass, looking thoughtfully at the program he was ready to steal.  
"Go ahead. Tell me. Why?" said Chaud.  
"So then, you don't know what this program does? Simply, it allows me to drain the energy of fallen Navis."  
"But, you can already do that with your GetAbility program... Why would you want another one?"  
"…One reason is that it's like an upgrade. Another is that with this, I can drain the power of another Navi not only to use their abilities, but to mold into my own energy, my own signature power. With the rise of darkness around the net world, I would be able to drain a dark being and use their darkness flawlessly, without any bugs or problems with my system.  
"So then... you plan on owning the world of darkness!"  
"No, stupid human. Murkland is of no importance to me. This is for my own personal advancements in the Ranks of power. Now, do you understand why I led you here, Protoman?"  
"Led me here?" asked Protoman.  
"You see, the only reason Megaman has always beaten you, every, single time is because there was a Force overcoming his NetOp. Lan wasn't the one controlling Megaman, a force stronger than all of us had been using Megaman so magnificently. That force is Rank 1, not Serenade, not even me, and I want that force to bow down to me as its master. I want to outperform a god! Since this is an unplayable story (_fanfiction_) instead of a toy to simply play (_video game_), that Force can no longer help out Megaman and Lan; meaning, you are indeed the best Navi after Serenade and myself. For that reason, and that reason alone, I chose you to be my opponent after I take in this program. I'm going to test this new power through you."  
"…What! Then why didn't you bring Serenade instead?" asked Chaud  
"I would've, but without him OR Megaman, the UnderNet would be left as nothing. With no King of the Undernet to rule the it, who knows what unfortunate things may happen to it… By now you should be fully restored. Let our battle begin!" said Bass, and he smashed his hand through the barrier around SoulReaver and took it at hand. A dark goo spread from his hand all over his body like a virus. Eventually Bass's entire body was enveloped in the black goo and after a short pause, Bass began screaming in pain. The goo exploded off of him.  
"No longer will I need a LifeAura. With this, I'm unstoppable!"

_Netbattle- Protoman.EXE vs. Bass.EXE_  
Bass put his hand out into the air as if he was going to bring out another AirBurst, but this time a dark ball of energy came out of his hand, looking almost like a bomb. He dashed above Protoman and threw it down, Protoman darted out of the way and slashed a SuperSonic towards him. Bass then slashed at it with his hand, leaving a dark trail where his hand swung. He then formed a sword with his new dark power and darted down like ahawk at Protoman. The two Navis swung swords and their blades collided, leaving each other face to face, blade to blade. Protoman pushed forwards and jumped backwards to shoot yet another SuperSonic. Due to the force of Protoman's push, Bass was left defenseless and the attack hit him for full damage.  
"Good, but don't take your accomplishment so far Chaud, I'm still new to my power. I still can't fight at my best," said Bass, actually trying to convince Chaud.  
"That's what I'm hoping," thought Chaud. Bass then put both of his hands forward, transformed his hands into the Gospel Cannon, and shot out green flames at Protoman. Protoman slashed at the air before the flames could touch him and they split in front of him like a waterfall. As soon as the Gospel flames subsided, he blindly swung another SuperSonic at wher he thought Bass was, but to his disappointment, Bass wasn't at the target's location.  
"It's disappointing how easy you were," said a voice next to his ear.  
"!" Bass stabbed his hand into Protoman's back and pushed it out of his chest.  
"AAUUGHH!" cried Protoman.  
"Protoman!" yelled out Chaud.  
"With this energy I take from you, I'll perfect my new DarkSword and use it to conquer our Force, our god, Rank 1, whatever it is. When I finally achieve Rank 1's power I will unleash it around the Cyber World, destroying the environmental programs, destroying every money currency agencies around the world, every building supported by computers, and destroy every Official base that has ever harmed a Navi. Your humans will pay for our pain!"  
"B-Bass... it was... a huge mistake...! They di-didn't mean to..." said Protoman through his pain, fighting to live for Chaud's sake.  
"That's exactly my point, I will destroy the imperfect human, so my kind can continue living without the misery of having humans try to control us! Your death will mark the day Navis are truly born!" claimed Bass.  
"But we were _created_ by humans!"  
"That doesn't matter, God created humans and look at what they've done to him!"  
"Auu-AAH!" cried Protoman again.  
"Protoman, try to resist!" cried Chaud, trying frantically to use any chip to save Protoman, none of which would work.  
"It's almost done. Your energy is almost completely mine. Don't be so angry, human slave, what I know you believe to be the worst possible outcome to this story, I will prove to be the best." Bass's body began absorbing random pieces of darkness that appeared to appear out of thin air, and he finally let Protoman's life-less body drop to the floor.  
_-Protoman.EXE DELETED-_  
"PROTOMAN!" yelled Chaud one last time.

Chaud awoke from his bed, sweating. He looked to where he remembered he left his Gameboy and found it next to his computer. His toy PET laid right next to it.  
"Ah... A-... A dream..." he said through breaths. He fell back to his bed and tried to get back to sleep, when something made him dart right back up.  
"Face me, Rank 1."

End.


End file.
